- The code in a Google Teardown application points to “inactivity reboot” feature
- It looks a lot like a safety tool available on iPhones
- It is not yet active but it will probably be launched as part of Android 16
At the end of last year, Apple added a safety functionality to iPhones which should make more difficult for thieves to use stolen phones – and who have also caused problems for the application of laws, and now the same feature could happen on Android.
The functionality in question is known as “restarting inactivity”, and on iPhone, this means that the device will automatically restart after three days of inactivity.
On Android, it could be exactly the same, with Android authority Having found a reference to the “restart of inactivity” in a dismantling of the Google Play Services application. In addition to sharing a name with Apple’s feature, it apparently works in the same way, the code chain stating that it restored a device if it remains locked for three days.
Block biometrics
The reason for this is that iPhones and Androids are safer after restarting, because biometrics (like face and fingerprint scanners) is inactive, and you should rather enter your spit or password to unlock the phone.
The hypothesis – probably – is that a device that is activated but has not been unlocked for several days can be in the hands of a thief, who has so far failed to unlock him. So if they did not manage within three days, it will suddenly become much more difficult for them.
This feature is not yet active on Android, and although it is clearly something Google explores, it is always possible that this is not at the public exit, but there is a good chance that we will see it in Android 16.
More specifically, thanks to its Android Authority Digging, has noted that this is probably part of the advanced protection mode, which is a larger safety feature that we already know that we are likely to come on Android 16.
In addition to probably including the restart of inactivity, this mode can do things such as blocking the break, deactivation of 2G connections and activation of the Taggage of Memory (MTE) for applications, which is a functionality that protects against memory safety bugs.
It therefore seems that Google can put a major accent on security with its next Android version, and you should not have to wait too long to get these features, because Android 16 should land in the second quarter of this year – which means by the end of June.
